Separable fastener



Aug. 4, 1931. N. J. POUX ET AL 1,817,842

SEPARABLE FASTENER Filed Oct. 17. 1929 A TTORNEYS.

' Patented Aug. 4, 1931 i contact.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE NOEL J. roux, VIRGIL H. HALL, AND PATRICK H. cnown, or MEADvILLE, PENNSYL- VANIA, ASSIGN'ORS TO LION FASTENER, me. or MEADVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA,

A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE SEPARAIBLE FASTENER Application filed October 17, 1929. Serial No. 400,403.

The present invention is directed to separable fasteners in which there are a series of interlocking members, each provided with a projection and a receiving cavity, the cavity receiving the projection of the adjacent member. These members are swung into interlocking position successively and. are disengaged in a similar manner. This mode of operation is well understood. With the fastener members as heretofore fabricated the faces of the adjacent members so engage each other when in interlocked position as to prevent a very free flexing of the stringers to which the members are attached and where such flexing is forced the engagement of these faces so opens the members and separates the projections from the engaging walls of the cavities as to break their interlocked engagement. Further these engaging surfaces prevent the free swinging of the members to position and as a result it has been found necessary to provide clearance, or space between the members so that the projections might be swung freelyinto the cavities, or-interlocked p.0-v

sition. In the present invention, these surfaces are so arranged, or eased off as to permit of the free rocking of the parts into engagement even though the members in final interlocked position are in direct engaging Features and details of the invention will appear from the specification and claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings as follows Fig. 1 shows a plan view of the fastener in place on stringers.

Fig. 2 a perspective view of one of the interlocking members on the cavity side.

Fig. 3 a similar view of an interlocking member showing the projection side.

Fig. a sectional View of a series of the members showing their .position when flexed.

Fig. 5 a side elevation of a modified structure.

Fig. 6 a plan View of the projection side of the modified structure.

Flg. 7 an end view of the modified structure.

A slider 3 is provided This operates in the usual man-' clamped thereon in the usual manner. Pro- -jections 5 are preferably triangularly shaped being narrow nosed toward their free end. The members are also provided on the reverse side with triangularly shaped cavities adapted to receive the projections 5. In order to make the members interchangeable the side of the cavity parallel with the free end of the member is adjacent to the free end, whereas in the projection the side parallel with the free end of the member is remote from the free end. The projection is stepped back slightly from the end member forming a shelf 7 which forms a support-for the end of the member on the adjacent, or engaged member of the series.

The corner of the member at each side of the projection .is cut away at 8. The

cut-away-portions extend to the rear end of the projection and preferably further to the rear. These cut-away portions 8 are also preferably formed in continuation ofthe sides of the projection, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, and preferably extend completely across the edge of the member to the opposite face. With this cutting away of the material the obstruction formed by the usual corner of the member is removed and this permits of a freer swinging of the parts into interlocked position. This also permits of a more ready flexing of the series of members, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4, the cut-away portion permitting one edge of the cavity to slide down as the other edge of the cavity moves over toward the upper corner of the projection so that a very close turning, or flexing of the series may be made without disengagement laterally or weakening of the locking connection. This also frees the swinging of the interlocking members into interlocking position and in consequence it is unnecessary to provide clearance between the faces of the members in their interlocked position in order to permit of the free swinging to position.

In the modified form the member 9 has jaws 10. shaped projection 11 which is designed to enter a cavity on the reverse side of similar shape, but with the side parallel to the free end reversedin position from that of the projection. It is provided with a step, or shelf 12 at the free end of the projection forming a support engaging the face of the adjacent member. The corners are cut away at 13, the cuts extending part way down the sides and also leaving small shelves let at the base of the projection. It extends from the free end to the rear of the projection and is preferably extended by a supplemental cut-away portion 15. This modificd form permits of a freedom of action greater as to swinging into interlocking po sition than the structures which have not been cut-away and also greater freedom of flexing between the members without breaking their engagement.

That we claim as new is 2- 1. A separable fastener having a series of interlocking members, each member of the series having a straiglitside(l projection with a narrow nose toward the free end of the member and a socket receiving a projection of an adjacent member, the members each being beveled at each side of the nose of the projection.

2. A separable fastener having a series of interlocking members, each having a straight-sided projection with a narrow nose toward the free end of the member, and a socket receiving a projection of an adjacent member, the members each being beveled at each side of the nose of the projection.

8. A separable fastener having aseries of interlocking members, each having a projection with a narrow nose toward the. free end of the member, and a socket receiving a projection of an adjacent member, the members being beveled at each side of the nose of the projection, the bevel extending in continuation of the side of the projection.

4. A separable fastener having a series of interlocking members, each having a projection with a narrow nose towardthe free end of the member, and a socket receiving a projection of an adjacent member, the members being beveled at the sldes of the projection, the bevel extendmg 1n continuation of It is provided with a triangularly' the side of the projection and to the opposite face of the member.

5. A separable fastener comprising interlocking members, each provided with a straight-sided projection and recess,each

projection having a narrow nose ad acent the free end of its member and its recess having a narrow portion remote from the free end of the member, the sides of the projection confronting the sides of the recess receiving the projection. v

6. A separable fastener comprising interlocking members, each provided-with a threesided projection and, a three-sided recess adapted to receive a projection of the next succeeding member, each projection having its sides arranged to'provide a narrower nose formed by an apex adjacent to the free end of its member and each having its recess with an apex or narrow portion remote from the free end of its member, the sides of the projection confronting the sides of the recess receiving the projection.

7. A separable fastener having a series of interlocking members, each member having a three-sided projection and a three-sided recess receiving the projection of an adjacent membcr, said projection being of less width than the member, the member being beveled at each side of the projection, the inclination of the bevels below the projection being less than that of the projection forming fulcrum points between the sides of the projection and the bevels below the projection.

8. An interlocking member for a separable fastener having a straight-sided projection thereon, said projection having a narrow nose adjacent to the front end of the member, the member havingcut-away portions at each side of the projection.

' 9. A separable fastener comprising interlocking members, each provided with a three-sided projection and a three-sided recess adapted to receive a projection of the next succeeding member, each projection having its sides arranged to provide a narrow nose formedby an apex adjacent to the free end of the member, the me er being beveled at each side of the projection, said member having a shelf along the base of the projection between the edge of the bevel and the projection.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

NOEL J. .POUX.

VIRGIL H. HALL. P. H. CRQWE. 

